Hello friends! One topic that has been on my mind lately is zoos. I’ve heard many conflicting opinions on them; some praise them as institutions of conservation while others argue that encaging animals is unnatural and unethical.
I thought that today I would share some research on this topic so that you can take your stance on the issue.
Firstly, let’s talk about the pros of having zoos.
One of the biggest advantages of zoos that people don’t always think about is their ability to educate and create appreciation amongst the general public. Whether you were planning on it or not, just being at the zoo causes you to learn something new.
One of the biggest arguments against zoos is that they keep animals in captivity, animals that could be released into the wild. However, this is not always the case.
Many animals in zoos are there because they were injured or born in captivity, and therefore would not be able to survive in the harsh outside world. In fact, according to a study cited by National Geographic, the survival rate of captive-born predators upon reintroduction is only 33%.
Zoos are also helpful in protecting animals that are threatened. Currently, we are facing massive global extinction, losing up to 150 species per day.
Zoos help protect these animals so that they can survive, but these endangered species’ journey doesn’t end there. Many zoos have specialized programs to breed and research endangered species.
One especially relevant example is the Cincinnati Zoo, whose Center for Conservation Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) is one of the leaders in this field nationally. They do everything from freezing organisms’ genetic material to ensure future survival to unraveling the mysteries of breeding cats and rhinos.
And it’s not like zoos can do anything they want. There are guidelines and regulations in place to ensure that all proper protocol is being followed, such as those listed in the Animal Welfare Act. The Association of Zoos and Aqauriums also maintains strict rules, ensuring that only the best zoos can be credited under their name
Zoo animals also get safe environments, regular meals and hundreds of visitors every day. Good zoos also provide enrichment to keep these animals stimulated. Doesn’t sound like a bad life, no?
However, there are also many drawbacks of zoos that question the validity of keeping them.
The biggest concern is the ethicality of keeping animals in captivity. Humans are animals and we don’t put them in cages, so why shouldn’t we treat other species the same way?
Saying that humans are superior to other species seems a bit egotistical; there are many organisms that have been around much longer than us and will probably still be here after we are gone. Humans are not invincible, and someday we will no longer be on this planet, which is something we need to realize.
Another point is that it seems cruel to place an animal like a lion, who is used to having hundreds of acres of land to roam, in a small enclosure the size of a house.
No matter how hard zookeepers try, they will never truly be able to simulate the outdoors. Giant plastic red balls don’t make up for the lost feeling of freedom.
When we take the animals out of the wild, it is impossible to keep the wild in them, so zoos lack a certain beauty that comes with the great outdoors.
Another issue that people don’t always consider is the bond that is broken when transferring animals. Most are not enclosed with their family members, and will probably never see them again. Although we don’t think of it, this trauma is real for animals too. I couldn’t imagine never seeing my family again.
Another con of zoos is that they lower the genetic diversity of animal populations. Taking an animal out of the wild means taking a different set of genes out of a species gene pool. Doing this lowers the genetic diversity of a wild population, which can eventually lead to inbreeding and deformities. This is especially a risk for an already endangered population, where genetic diversity is crucial.
In addition, genetic diversity is also extremely low in zoos. There are only so many of a certain species in captivity, and an even smaller percentage that are able to breed. This makes it hard to breed in zoos and can cause the icky genetic effects I mentioned prior.
One final issue that I will bring up hits closer to home for my fellow Cincinnatians. I’m sure we all remember that day in 2016 when Harambe, a lowland-gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo, was shot and killed after a child fell into his enclosure.
Zoos have an inherent risk of animals escaping or directly or indirectly causing tragedies like this one. It’s impossible to remove all the risk at zoos, both for humans and for the animals that live there.
Just like many things, there are ranges of zoo performance. Some zoos do an amazing job with conservation efforts and education while others, like a crocodile petting zoo on the side of a Florida highway, aren’t great.
However, it is up to you to decide if zoos truly are beneficial. Do the pros outweigh the cons? Hopefully this article has equipped you with the tools to answer this tricky question. Regardless of your final verdict, I hope this article provided you with some new information on zoos to help you truly have an informed opinion!
Elena